U.S. healthcare spending: why are we paying more for less? 💸
😱 Just saw stats comparing US healthcare spending to other wealthy nations. We spend WAY more relative to our economy size! But... is that actually something to brag about? 🤔
1️⃣ $13,432/person – the U.S. spent double what other wealthy OECD nations did in 2023 ($7,393 avg).
2️⃣ $3,700 gap – our per-person costs are higher than any peer country.
3️⃣ 16.7% of GDP goes to healthcare here vs. <10% in most peers. Since the 1980s, our spending growth has outpaced GDP 2x faster than others. 📉
4️⃣ 2023 spike: U.S. costs rose 5.4% (vs. 7.3% in 🇸🇪, 7.1% in 🇨🇭). But post-COVID, peers slowed spending; we didn’t.
5️⃣ Pandemic paradox: In 2020, U.S. health spending hit 18.6% of GDP (vs. 16.7% now), while peers spread surges over 2020-2021.
6️⃣ Decades-long trend: Back in 1970, the U.S. spent ~6.2% of GDP on health—close to peers. Today? The gap tripled.
🔥 DEBATE TIME:
1. Why do Americans pay 2x more but rank lower in life expectancy, infant survival, and preventable deaths?
2. Is it drug prices, admin waste, profit-driven care—or all three? Where’s the fix? 💊💡
#healthcare #medicalspending #medicalsystem
